For all those waiting for the Pathfinder 2e sheet, the first generation is now live! There are some known issues and pending additional functionality, and any bug reports should be made here.

November is coming, and with it comes 'National Novel Writing Month', or NaNoWriMo. For those who don't know, this is an annual personal challenge to write a short novel of 50,000 words or more in one month. Sign up may be found here: NaNoWriMo Sign Up

If you sign up or have already signed up, you can go to the following link and give your name as registered on the NaNoWriMo site to have your tracking widget added in the thread. Weavers have been participating in the challenge since 2012, both helping brainstorm with each other as well as providing support and encouragement where needed. Check it out if you've always wanted to push your creative writing skills!
MW NaNoWriMo 2018

On December 15th we will begin the Myth Weavers Storycrafting Contest, which will have some great prizes! Writers will have two months to write a short story about a fantasy-setting minor holiday that has been selected by staff. Full details will be announced on the start date, but we will reveal part of the grand prize: a Farland campaign setting! Check here for current info on the contest!

War was messy business. Thousands of people die every battle, buildings are destroyed, lands polluted, stockpiles burned and fortunes lost. The bloodshed was horrifying in both scope and scale, the death tolls second only to the injured and missing. It took decades for the first stages of the recovery process to take root, and hundreds of years later, the ache still remained. Memorials to the fallen, ambiguity between nations, ingrained hatred between people for reasons left buried between blood and soil.

No more!

In this age of enlightenment, war has been turned into a clean, civilized sport rather than the barbaric slaughter it once was. In the sea of stars, our great Commandants direct their Mechanized Infantry in strategic competition to vie for planetary resources based on galactically agreed upon schedules. The battles follow distinct rules and death is kept at a clear minimum and limited only to those willing to die. No innocent lives lost in vain! No legions of unknown soldiers! War has become sport! War has become entertainment! War has become everything!

You have heard these advertisements as a child. You grew in a culture that believes that to fight means to puppet machines, following special rules to bring about good, clean entertainment. Progress is determined by the empire with the greatest champions. Politics ruled through sport, people guided by the media-circus of this 'good, clean war'. Civilized society believes itself to have risen above the muddied trenches and bloodied fields.

What fools they are.

You have seen the battles first hand through the cockpit of your massive war machine. You have brought low enemies in the name of victory. You have brought glory to your empire through these continental gladiatory bouts. You have seen the true cost of these battles and for your own reasons, you have grown sick of them.

I can see it in your eyes; the glimmer has dimmed, your spirit has been wounded. The soul living inside this fleshy shell screams against the acts it's forced to commit. You want out. You want people to know the truth. You want to end the hypocrisy and to bring the truth to the world.

You will have the chance.

If I am right about you, you will mark your barracks door with a smear of red. Then, when you are next brought to battle, your unit will be unleashed, and we will collect you. Together, we will turn their war games around, and reveal to the galaxy the truth behind war.

War is not clean. It is not controlled. It is not sport. War, is simply war, and they will know it by its true name soon enough.

----------

Alright, so! Here's my setting/idea. It's a crapload of time in the future, 3402. Mankind has branched out into the universe and discovered 30-ish planets thusfar that can sustain life. During this process nations somewhat merged with mega-corporations in mentality and economic notions, discarding certain 'Civil Rights and Liberties' in order to progress as a people. Freedom of Speech got adjusted in some areas, discarded in others, separation of church and state got modified, I'll go into the individual empires later, but in essence, it's less a democracy and more a monarchy or feudal system all over again. One group runs the country, and the country lives with it if they know what's good for them.

Of course, the masses are kept under control in various ways. Much like Cold War America, a mix of propaganda, nationalism and distraction are used to keep people supporting their governing forces and ensuring a happy working society. The major distraction has become the Sport of War.

In an attempt to turn war from a disgusting, resource-wasting abomination into an efficient way of performing population control and resource acquisition, the mega-corp mindset came around with giving war a new image. Rather than gun-toting madmen storming your doorstep and blasting your friends and neighbors to pieces, instead, battles have been placed in distant locations, the soldiers replaced with shiny war machines, and the overall numbers reduced. A series of productive board meetings ensured that there were rules set in place to ensure 'good clean fun' and production and release rights were distributed fairly across the various empires. The new image of this conflict was given a trial run as a combination of mechanized football and war games, where teams would seek to disable the opposing team while claiming strategic locations. In order to win the conflict, a team would have to disable 80% or more of the opposing team, claim and hold all strategic points, or disable the enemy deployment zone and prevent redeployment for three days. Victory would reward the successful Empire with ownership of the resources of the region for a

Three Months

fiscal quarter as well as the bragging rights and financial incentives that came along with being top dog.

The Sport of War gathered enough viewer ratings and public support to warrant large scale application and deployment. Now instead of 20 man remote controlled robot football players, the combatants were 30 foot tall mechanized war-machines. Instead of regional resources, it became planetary resources. The battles became the focal point for the new age, the single point that humanity could point to and say "We are not savages!" proudly.

Much like the cowboys and heroic space men of the Civil War Era, Warrior Elites became the object of childhood fascination. Most every boy alive wanted to become a famous Warrior, to stride across planets with legs of steel, flying the banner of their homeland to the applause and worship of their people. These were the new Olympians, men-turned-gods by a society of fanatical worship. They were the professional athletes, movie stars and technical geniuses of this new era, their exploits praised and their prowess exalted. They were the envy and focus of each empire, and the focal point of control. The Commanders were always high-ranked officials within their empire, specifically raised and bred to be the greatest tacticians and commanding minds the age has ever seen. Where the general populace praised the Warriors, the Empirical Councils praised the Commanders. They were a league of their own, both treasured and feared.

This is the glitz and glamour of the setting. Now for the nitty gritty.

Not everyone liked the idea of these ruling empires, this sham of civilization at the cost of independent rights. During the rise into the stars, there were defectors and there were rebels, voices of descent and cries for unfound justice. To keep the facade of fairness and civility when these voices became too loud to silence with propaganda and a

Think general execution and such, akin to that from V for Vendetta

black-bag program, they were given the chance to separate from the risen Empires. These separatists were called the Free Worlds Federation, and they were given numerous planets to settle and control of their own, as a sign of charity from the high and mighty powers. After the separation, communication between the Free Worlds Federation and the Empires were subsequently strangled until all memory of the separatists was effectively forgotten by the general public. When the Sport of War was brought to its full power, the battlegrounds became the planets of the Free Worlds Federation, allowing the summary destruction of the technologically inferior 'natives' and the acquisition of untapped resources. After all, wars fought amongst buildings and structures were far more tactically enjoyable than general forests and plains.

The FWF people were thought of as little more than animals by the Empires; lesser creatures that deserved nothing and who were little more than insects to be swatted or brushed aside. Their homes and planets were the trees and fields used to fuel a greater people, an enlightened people, and they were expected to step aside or die. The Elite Warriors were at the forefront of the massacres and battles. While the FWF had -some- weaponry, they were no match for the sophisticated battle machines of the Empires. At best, they were a minor distraction during a full on siege between forces, often dismissed or - worse yet - crushed in advance to ensure a stronger focus on the 'real enemy'. Some Warriors couldn't handle this mentality and were drummed out, forced into silence or

The 'Hollywood suicide' method was a long favourite, doctoring medical records to show a long history of performance enhancing drug abuse and then having an overdose someplace or a psychotic rampage only to be shot down by authorities.

eliminated. Those who steeled themselves and embraced their Empire's vision fared best.

The players in this game will be Warriors who - for reasons they will fine tune on their own - have some issue with fighting in these mock wars. Whether they sympathize with the FWF or not is wholly up to them, but that's the easiest reason to be together admittedly.

To sum this game idea up as best I can manage, think Gundam Wing meets The Gladiator.

Point of Note #1: Still fleshing out stuff but I'm mostly done. Questions and analysis would help greatly.

Point of Note #2: The system to be used will likely be Mutants and Masterminds 3e.

Political Structure: Imperial, Monarchy.
Political Focus: Perfection of the individual through the removal of the lesser individuals.

This empire has a high birth rate and a ruthless education standard. There is a steep and unforgiving learning curve to all tasks, and while there are the occasional extracurricular sources of aid, they are high priced and usually only available to wealthy families of notable rank and title. The negative results of this are a high suicide rate and vast cases of depression and stress (all of which are treated with medication and '

In essence, facilities set to prepare those unable to perform the upper echelon tasks for a lower caste of work. Manual labour, blue collar jobs, that sort of thing.

Refocusing Camps'). The positive results are a fantastic output of production, top of the line manufacture and unwavering belief in the superiority of their empire.

The Warriors of this empire are renown for their unerring efficiency and meticulous execution of some of the most complex yet brutally effective strategies The Sport has seen. Many of their strategies have sacrificed lesser Warriors to conquer a strategic location, leaving their overall numbers minimal, but to their great fortune, there are always more to be brought to bear, considering their sizable population.

This empire has a deep rooting in religion, using it as a uniting force for its people. By setting their ruler as the traditional Emperor and focusing heavily on Shinto values to guide their day to day lives, this empire has become less a collection of people and more a single force with a multitude of souls. Dissemination and revolt are incredibly low, as there is only ever one punishment for crime; death. The method of death changes in variation, but all deviations from the Emperor's will is considered treason. As such, those in power are often those who are best able to twist and contort the rulings of the Emperor to suit there needs. However, this is a dangerous game to play, as to slip up and represent the Emperor's will wrongly (and get caught doing so) is in itself treasonous. While there are no independent military forces any longer due to the advent of The Sport, there is still a semblance of Bushido in the hearts of the citizenry.

The Warriors of this empire are known for precision and unwavering determination. Their Commander is revered nearly as regally as their Emperor, and through his guidance, failure is impossible. They are the sword, where he is the hand that guides them. Bushido burns deep in their Warriors' hearts, allowing them to perform seemingly impossible tasks when the odds are vastly against them.

This empire has a broad focus on the other empires. Rather than keeping itself clustered around a solitary ideal, it seeds other empires with its products and goods and services, placing themselves in areas of power and using them as supports to keep their own power base in place (akin to a suspension bridge using it's lines to anchor to mountains to keep its boards aloft). This was the first to expand into space and thus they have the highest number of imperial planetary holdings, however they also have the highest population and the greatest need for resources, making expansion a critical component to their people. While still heavily invested in The Sport, they focus a great amount of their resources into plotting other solar systems in search of other survivable planets both to settle and to mine. They hold to the classic god-chosen bloodline of a more feudal time, their Queen claiming the older title as opposed to Empress.

The Warriors of this empire prefer the term Knights, as her military council composes only of those who have competed and returned victorious from The Sport (even their Commanders were ex-Warriors, which gives them a unique perspective on the warzone). While not always the most ruthless of Warriors, theirs are still notable in strength, though holding to a traditional code of honour. This has been exploited occasionally in the past, but this code holds different meanings to each Knight, allowing for surprises on occasion. Furthermore, due to the economic wealth of this empire, their Knights are often suited with mechs of slightly higher quality than others, if only to hold an extra surprise or quirk here or there.

The Sol Empire

Political Structure: Imperial, Oligarchy
Political Focus: Religious and political conversion, advanced chemical application

The Sol Empire evolved from what was a celebrity funded cult on Earth based on seeking new life in the stars. While not the first ones to settle a planet other than earth, clever machinations of the lead religious figure ensured that they were seen as the primary force, if only in the eyes of his worshipers. Theirs is an Empire based around eclectic values and oneness of mind, body and soul. Their major production is based around biochemistry, most pharmaceuticals and bio-fuels having been pioneered and developed by their people. Theirs is also the only empire willing to accept 'converts' from other empires into their fold, for a nominal fee and after certain secular rites.

Their Warriors are zealots, often fighting until unable to do so. In each of their mechs there is a specially tailored chemical application device, be it wrist-band IV's or an inhalant mask. This allows their Warriors to perform above and beyond human limitations, often allowing for unexpected surges from an otherwise underwhelming foe. Chemical overdose on the field is a common way for their Warriors to die, but it gives them a strategic advantage in The Sport.

The United People's Republic

Political Structure: Totalitarian
Political Focus: Military production, stellar mining technologies

This empire holds the largest number of resource-bearing planets while holding the least livable planets. The greater majority of the population live on orbiting satellites, as they are easier to supply and man as compared to planetary settlements. Only the wealthy live on the surface of the planets able to sustain life. The greater majority of these planets are used to grow food, manned by automatons and monitored by AI's. Those few areas slotted for settlement bear limited human life, generally reserved for successful, retired Warriors, political figures or particularly wealthy individuals. This empire boasts the greatest number of automated workers, able to efficiently mass-produce any product at high rates of speeds. They also hold the patent on the most advanced asteroid mining technology in existence to date, giving them access to the most vast mineral reserves of all of the nations.

Unfortunately, this has caused a decline in the individual strength of their Warriors, as their people are often considered soft and complacent, getting little respect from other empires. However, each of their Warriors is aided by an advanced Artificial Intelligence suite to manage systems other Warriors would have to handle on their own, allowing for a more directed focus on the battle and less on managing heat, ammunition and energy reserves. They are considered the most specialized combatants of The Sport due to their mechs' unique capabilities, making these underdogs quite the frustrating force to combat.

2110 - Mankind terraforms Mars
2124 - Martian Settlement War begins
2131 - Massacre of Mars occurs. Mars is no longer habitable
2133 - The Treaty of War is signed, causing worldwide demilitarization
2140 - Korea placed under political embargo for refusing to demilitarize
2142 - Korea initiates World War 3
2144 - Age of Darkness begins due to global-scale EMP devastating all electronics in operation prior to being destroyed
2144-2410 - The world reverts to a dark age, some nations are consumed by others during this age of strife. America and Canada merge and are drawn back into the European Union. South America allies with Africa. China wars with the surrounding nations, consuming the majority of them. Japan bunkers down and waits out the conflict. Russia and China engage in the sixty year war. The 'Middle East' erupts into a war of its own, considered a hotspot to all factions; the result is historically ambiguous.
2418 - The Second Age of Light begins. Power is restored first in Europe and Japan.
2420 - The Sixty Year War ends with Russia having lost 20% of its territory. China trades 15% of net gained territory to Japan for electricity.
2420 - The wars of the Age of Darkness were deemed horrible and used as an example to usher in a time of peace. The remaining countries band together to seek scientific advancement and progress for mankind.
2602 - The world runs out of fossil fuels and has to rely on solar/wind/nuclear power to maintain this Second Age of light.
2618 - Fusion power is discovered, enabling another source of power. Fusion waste is deemed more toxic than fission waste.
2813 - 60% of Africa has become polluted by unsanctioned fusion waste disposal. Refugees are accepted in Europe and areas of Russia. Africa becomes home to the world's waste products.
2962 - Earth's atmosphere has deteriorated too far to be repaired. Delaying tactics are employed, but estimates place earth as being unable to sustain life within the next eighty years.
3010 - FTL travel achieved by independent interstellar corporation Stellar Industries. Nations vie for the technology, making Stellar Industries the richest corporation in all of recorded history.
3012 - Eight habitable planets discovered.
3018 - The Earth Alliance is formed abolishing all national and international boundaries. It is praised as the most critical turning point in global peace.
3019 - The First Earth Fleet is established, allowing exodus from the dying planet. Millions are left behind so that millions may live.
3022 - The Stellar Disaster occurs. FTL drive activated within earth's atmosphere, igniting the waste-saturated atmosphere and annihilating all life on earth. Heralded as the greatest disaster to ever befall mankind. Stellar Industries is dissolved in the fallback of the incident.
3101 - The Rule of the Resplendent Crane and The Empire of the Golden Lotus are officially formed, breaking off from the Earth Alliance.
3104 - The Sovereign Birthright and The United People's Republic are formed from what remains of the Earth Alliance. The Earth Alliance is officially nonexistent.
3122 - The Territorial Wars begin, battle between the Crane and the Lotus over three planetary fronts, the Sovereign and the Republic over two planetary fronts, and the rest enveloped in skirmishes.

The initiating force in every war differs between each empire's source of education.
3160 - The Territorial Wars end, Sovereign holding three planets, Crane and Lotus holding two and the Republic holding one.
3172 - Six new planets are discovered in a nearby system (2 habitable) and are claimed by Sovereign.
3180 - Twelve new planets are discovered (4 habitable). 7 (3 habitable) are claimed by Lotus, 5 (3 habitable) by Crane.
3188 - Eight new planets are discovered (2 habitable) and are all claimed by the Republic.
3190 - The Sol Empire emerges, staging a coup in one of Sovereign's holdings, taking control of the planet over the next ten years.
3212 - Sixteen moderately habitable planets are discovered. The Second Territory Wars begin.
3214 - The Second Territory Wars end with a peace accord. The sixteen planets are divided with twelve being designated for mining and resources and one to each Empire to settle.
3220 - Terraforming technology advancements are made, allowing the uninhabitable planets to be made viable for resource gathering.
3240 - Twenty new planets are located in various systems, deemed too hostile to settle.
3260 - The Zero War begins. It is a cold war that brings all empires to the brink of proper, interstellar war.

The corporation that managed and maintained the interstellar ftl communications array used to communicate between planets in real-time.

Interstellar Broadcasting proposes the implementation of a War Games simulation as a civilized method to resolve political conflicts.
3285 - With the completion of the 25th Interstellar War Games, the Sport of War project is officially announced. Accepted by all empires, efforts are made to begin the conversion of military fleets into Sport of War Command and deployment vessels.
3300 - The first Sport of War game is held on the moon of an uninhabited planet. Crane claims victory. Viewing shatters all records and deemed the new age of inter-empire warfare.
3305-3400 - Sport of War games migrate to uninhabited planets, growing in scale and complexity. New mech, command and drop ship designs are brought into play every year. Weapon sales remain low in quantity but high in quality. The Sport of War becomes the primary venue of entertainment and political posturing.

The True Timeline

2110 - Mankind terraforms Mars
2124 - Martian Settlement War begins
2131 - Massacre of Mars occurs. Mars is no longer habitable
2133 - The Treaty of War is signed, causing worldwide demilitarization
2140 - Korea placed under political embargo for refusing to demilitarize
2142 - Korea initiates World War 3
2144 - Age of Darkness begins due to global-scale EMP devastating all electronics in operation prior to being destroyed
2144-2410 - The world reverts to a dark age, some nations are consumed by others during this age of strife. America and Canada merge and are drawn back into the European Union. South America allies with Africa. China wars with the surrounding nations, consuming the majority of them. Japan bunkers down and waits out the conflict. Russia and China engage in the sixty year war. The 'Middle East' erupts into a war of its own, considered a hotspot to all factions; the result is historically ambiguous.
2418 - The Second Age of Light begins. Power is restored first in Europe and Japan.
2420 - The Sixty Year War ends with Russia having lost 20% of its territory. China trades 15% of net gained territory to Japan for electricity.
2420 - The wars of the Age of Darkness were deemed horrible and used as an example to usher in a time of peace. The remaining countries band together to seek scientific advancement and progress for mankind.
2602 - The world runs out of fossil fuels and has to rely on solar/wind/nuclear power to maintain this Second Age of light.
2618 - Fusion power is discovered, enabling another source of power. Fusion waste is deemed more toxic than fission waste.
2813 - 60% of Africa has become polluted by unsanctioned fusion waste disposal. Refugees are accepted in Europe and areas of Russia. Africa becomes home to the world's waste products.
2962 - Earth's atmosphere has deteriorated too far to be repaired. Delaying tactics are employed, but estimates place earth as being unable to sustain life within the next eighty years.
3010 - FTL travel achieved by independent interstellar corporation Stellar Industries. Nations vie for the technology, making Stellar Industries the richest corporation in all of recorded history.
3012 - Eight habitable planets discovered.
3018 - The Earth Alliance is formed abolishing all national and international boundaries. It is praised as the most critical turning point in global peace.
3019 - The First Earth Fleet is established, allowing exodus from the dying planet. Millions are left behind so that millions may live.
3022 - The Stellar Disaster occurs. FTL drive activated within earth's atmosphere, igniting the waste-saturated atmosphere and annihilating all life on earth. Heralded as the greatest disaster to ever befall mankind. Stellar Industries is dissolved in the fallback of the incident.
3101 - The Rule of the Resplendent Crane and The Empire of the Golden Lotus are officially formed, breaking off from the Earth Alliance.
3104 - The Sovereign Birthright and The United People's Republic are formed from what remains of the Earth Alliance. The Earth Alliance is officially nonexistent.
3122 - The Territorial Wars begin, battle between the Crane and the Lotus over three planetary fronts, the Sovereign and the Republic over two planetary fronts, and the rest enveloped in skirmishes.
3160 - The Territorial Wars end, Sovereign holding three planets, Crane and Lotus holding two and the Republic holding one.
3172 - Six new planets are discovered in a nearby system (2 habitable) and are claimed by Sovereign.
3180 - Twelve new planets are discovered (4 habitable). 7 (3 habitable) are claimed by Lotus, 5 (3 habitable) by Crane.
3188 - Eight new planets are discovered (2 habitable) and are all claimed by the Republic.
3190 - The Sol Empire emerges, staging a coup in one of Sovereign's holdings, taking control of the planet over the next ten years.
3212 - Sixteen moderately habitable planets are discovered. The Second Territory Wars begin.
3214 - The Second Territory Wars end with a peace accord. The Free Worlds Federation is created by dissidents in the various empires. The sixteen planets are divided with twelve being given to the Free Worlds Federation and one to each Empire.
3220 - Terraforming technology advancements are made, allowing the uninhabitable planets to be made viable for resource gathering.
3240 - Twenty new planets are located in various systems. They are suboptimal for settlement, but are given to the Free Worlds Federation as a sign of peace between Empires.
3260 - The Zero War begins. It is a cold war that brings all empires to the brink of proper, interstellar war.

The corporation that managed and maintained the interstellar ftl communications array used to communicate between planets in real-time.

Interstellar Broadcasting proposes the implementation of a War Games simulation as a civilized method to resolve political conflicts.
3285 - With the completion of the 25th Interstellar War Games, the Sport of War project is officially announced. Accepted by all empires, efforts are made to begin the conversion of military fleets into Sport of War Command and deployment vessels.
3300 - The first Sport of War game is held on the moon of an FWF planet. Crane claims victory. Viewing shatters all records and deemed the new age of inter-empire warfare.
3305-3400 - Sport of War games migrate to FWF planets, growing in scale and complexity. New mech, command and drop ship designs are brought into play every year. Weapon sales remain low in quantity but high in quality. The Sport of War becomes the primary venue of entertainment and political posturing. FWF begins what is called by them The Unending War. Imperial citizens are by-and-far unaware of the suffering of the FWF. Those aware choose silence or are silenced.
3402 -

The resistance force. Found a name I liked, yay!

The Unjudged are formed and officially noted by high ranking political figures. They are currently deemed to be a nuisance and nonthreatening.

The game starts at the turning point of 3402.

For those with tl;dr syndrome, the difference between the two is that the public one doesn't acknowledge the FWF as existing, and each Empire blames the others for any strife that they have suffered. Your empire is perfect. There is no flaw with your empire. The others are jealous and seek to take away your perfect empire for themselves. Love the Empire. The Empire loves you.

Right, more stuff! If the images are too large, I can throw them into spoilers; people just hafta lemme know.

Mecha Designs

Each Empire has different views on their mecha designs and therein, each Warrior prefers their mech a little differently. The Sovereign Birthright, for example, prefers theirs to have a melee weapon of some sort, and to bear heraldry, as the knights of old. The United People's Republic prefers a more functional design to their mecha, which brings about a little blockier look, where their drones are function over form, giving them a more beastial appearance. The Rule of the Resplendent Crane and The Empire of the Golden Lotus both hold esthetics in high regard, and have very angular designs with a fair amount of decorative excess while The Sol Empire holds a more organic mindset, theirs often smaller in size but more rounded and sinewy.

Here are a few

Note that these are - as I understand - original artworks I have snagged from Danbooru. If these are taken directly from any show, I am unaware, etc etc, don't sue me :V

After their separation from the Empires, the Free World's Federation were placed on somewhat habitable planets with limited amounts of technology. Where the Empire was using clean, replenishable fuel, the FWF had to reinvent the cart and buggy. Where the Empires had automated mining drones, the FWF had pickaxes and shovels. Of course, the FWF had inventors and engineers and such, so they weren't trapped in the stone-age, but they were set back a few centuries of technology to say the least. The only advanced tech they had access to were the terraformers, which they weren't able to take apart due to their critical requirement in their survival. However, from these, innovations were brought to bear. Advanced ground vehicles were researched, the secrets to the clean energy became less of a dream and more of a reality. However, their most major leaps in technology came when The Sport of War began to ravage their homeworlds.

The democratically elected leaders of the FWF knew that while the Empires were playing nice, they had no true view of equality with the FWF. To the 'civilized' Empires, the FWF were nothing but turncoats, traitors and savages at best. War would come eventually. They hadn't expected their genocide to come in the form of Sport though...

During the battles, the FWF were simply sideline creatures, their firepower not enough to scratch the paint on one of the towering war-machines let alone bring one to heel. They were often routed before a conflict, and if ignored, they were usually crushed as 'collateral damage'. After the Sport was won, those FWF that survived were rounded up and either executed or put to work as slaves, never to be heard from again. As most planets claimed by victors of The Sport were manned only by automated workers (or loyal militants) their cries of anguish fell on deaf ears. From this suffering, rose The Unjudged.

The Unjudged are the Free World's Federation's only significant fighting force. When The Sport of War games started to take place on their planets, they were the ones who scavenged downed mecha like rats stripping flesh from corpses, stealing technology, analyzing it and cannibalizing it to try and make up for the gap in technology between the FWF and the Empires. They hosted raids on some of the automated mining camps, sabotaged chemical refineries, all to damage the occupying Imperial forces while stealing away whatever they could get their hands on. Through these raids, they were able to begin work on their ultimate liberation engine.

The Black Star.

This will become the Command ship of the FWF's battle force, developed in secret, launched into space to hold the Warriors and mecha that they have turned to their cause. This, is the FWF's last great hope for survival and independence.

OOC Section
Basically, this will be the ship that holds the PCs and their allied NPCs in the game. Every empire has a few command ships like this, albeit the designs are different, but the scope is similar. They are flying cities with the most high grade communications and sensor suites the fielding Empire can manage, all with one Commander and one goal; victory at any cost.

I have funny enough been thinking of something along the same lines (my idea however was more like shadowrun, drones would do the fighting while the personnel was at a safe distance away) However this sounds very interesting. I will floow it closely.

:3 I had considered remote drones, but having the pilots physically there means that the characters are exposed to the subtext of the game, which is basically that even in a shiny new package, war is still war.